Mass shootings shatter more American communities over the long holiday weekend
Mass shootings shatter more American communities over the long holiday weekend
Despite the senseless carnage, President Biden and Vice President Harris’s pleas for congressional action are likely to go unanswered.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
The long holiday weekend gave America no reprieve from its gun violence epidemic as at least six mass shootings ripped through communities, tearing families apart and robbing kids of their futures in the process.
Here’s a snapshot of the carnage:
Philadelphia: Five people were killed and two injured on Monday night. The suspect, who reportedly wore a bulletproof vest and a ski mask as he randomly fired at vehicles and pedestrians, is in custody.
Fort Worth, Texas: Three people were killed and eight wounded on Monday night at an annual July 4th celebration in the city’s Lake Como neighborhood. There were no reports of any arrests or a motive for the shooting at press time. But the city’s mayor said didn’t believe those responsible for the shooting were from Lake Como.
Baltimore: Two people were killed and 28 were injured when at least two shooters opened fire at a block party early Sunday morning. The two victims who died were 18 and 20. The wounded victims range in age from 13 to 32.
Lansing, Mich.: Five males in their 20s were injured in a shooting after an altercation at a party early Tuesday morning. Three of the victims were listed in stable condition while the other two are in critical condition.
Wichita, Kan.: Seven people received gunshot wounds, and another two were trampled while trying to escape a nightclub where several shooters opened fire inside a nightclub early Sunday morning. One suspect is in custody.
Chicago: Five people were killed in another 33 were wounded in shootings across the city from early Friday evening to late Monday night. No suspects are in custody.
Congress is still out on recess until next week. But as previous shootings have indicated, there has been no bipartisan interest in passing any meaningful gun violence prevention measures even when they’re in Washington.
And with House Republicans aiming for floor action on their tax bill and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) all in on artificial intelligence and confirming federal judges in the coming weeks, plus September deadlines to fund the government, reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, farm bill, and the annual defense budget in the, there’s little reason to believe this weekend will reshuffle their legislative priorities.
The weekend shootings came a year after seven people were killed and 48 people were wounded in Highland Park, Illinois at an Independence Day parade shooting.
“One year later, we are saying this same thing: This violence has to stop,” Vice President Kamala Harris, who visited Highland Park after the shooting, said in a statement.
Weeks prior to that shooting, Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first meaningful gun safety legislation in three decades. The legislation implemented several reforms to the mental health care system and school safety programs, extended background checks for gun purchasers under 21, increased funding for state red flag laws, and tightened the boyfriend loophole, which allows dating partners convicted of domestic abuse to access guns.
In his own statement, President Joe Biden said and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden prayed for the day when American communities would be free from gun violence and commended Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.) and local leaders for banning assault weapons, like the one used in Highland Park, as well as high-capacity magazines, across the state.
“Their achievement will save lives. But it will not erase their grief,” Biden said. “And as we have seen over the last few days, much more must be done in Illinois and across America to address the epidemic of gun violence that is tearing our communities apart.”
In 186 days this year, America has endured 350 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Before the recess, House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) held a press conference with military veteran Democrats who support the Second Amendment and are working to pass legislation to keep schools and communities safe from gun violence against Republican opposition.
“With this new majority, there’s no interest in pursuing safer communities, safer children through gun violence prevention activity,” he said. “As a matter of fact, it’s just the opposite. They passed a gun bill that would reverse decades of law and practice [and] would make legal the short-barreled rifle, something that has been highly regulated by the National Firearms Act.”
House Democrats last month also filed a series of discharge petitions to force votes on three gun violence prevention bills.
One would require that every sale of a firearm include a background check with certain exemptions for family transfers and temporary hunting transfers. Another would close the “Charleston loophole” that allows individuals to purchase firearms before approval of their background check if it is still pending after three days. And the third would prohibit the sale, transfer, manufacture, and importation of semiautomatic weapons and ammunition-feeding devices capable of accepting more than fifteen rounds.
The petitions lack the 218 signatures required for a floor vote.
Despite all the violence, or perhaps because of it, Americans are purchasing guns in record numbers. Gun sales topped one million in June for the 47th straight month. And the issue is expected to remain in the political discourse in the year ahead after the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case this fall that will decide whether the government is allowed to keep people subject to domestic violence orders from having guns.
In lieu of passing additional federal legislation to regulate guns, some Republicans support the idea of arming school teachers and making it easier for people to carry weapons to defend themselves in active-shooter situations.
“Arming teachers is not the answer,” President Biden said while speaking at the National Education Association’s annual meeting on Monday morning. “Banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, extensive background checks — they’re part of the answer. They’ll make a big difference.”
👋🏾 Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to Supercreator Daily, your essential guide to the politicians, power brokers, and policies shaping the American creator experience. It’s Wednesday, July 5, 2023. Is it me or were the July 4th fireworks especially booming this year?
TODAY IN POLITICS
All times Eastern
10 a.m. President Biden will receive his daily intelligence briefing.
2 p.m. The president will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden.
Vice President Harris is in Los Angeles and has no public events on her schedule.
The House and Senate are out.
Biden’s week ahead:
Thursday: The president will travel to South Carolina.
Friday: President Biden will speak about affordable health care before traveling to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Sunday: The president will travel from Rehoboth Beach to the United Kingdom.
Harris’s week ahead:
Thursday: Vice President Harris will travel to Phoenix and the Gila River Indian Community to speak about the administration’s investments in tribal nations and native communities.
THEY DID THAT
The Secret Service evacuated the White House on Sunday after it discovered cocaine in a common area of the West Wing. President Biden and his family were at Camp David when the incident occurred.
The Republican National Committee featured the Liberian flag instead of the American flag in a now-deleted tweet commemorating Independence Day.
Liz Whitmer Gereghty, a candidate for New York’s 17th congressional district, announced her campaign raised $400,000 during the first 10 weeks of her challenge to Rep. Mike Lawler, one of six Republicans who won in districts last year that voted for President Biden in 2020. Gereghty, the sister of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) was endorsed by EMILYs List last week.
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) completed the Peachtree Road Race for the third Fourth of July weekend in a row.
Vice President Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff visited firefighters in California to thank them for their service, a tradition the two have maintained during their first three Independence Days in office.
READ ALL ABOUT IT
“The tragedy of John Roberts” by Jeff Shesol
“Elon Musk really broke Twitter this time” by Charlie Warzel
“When will we stop letting people die from heat in prisons?” by Alleen Brown
“‘Never apologize’: How Moms for Liberty teaches its members to spin the media” by Bianca Seward and Gabe Gutierrez
“Who’s giving HBO’s The Idol all of these five-star ratings?” by Cheyenne Roundtree
“We’re multitasking while walking our dogs. Animal experts say this is a problem” by Brandon Griggs
Thanks for reading! Send me scoops, comments, and questions — or say hi: michael@supercreator.news. Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up for free.